Malignant
by RobinSparkelz
Summary: She waltzes in, all pale pink hair, wide green eyes and tangled lashes. "She's staying with us for the year Sasuke." His wife tells him, and he nods and stares and wonders why his heart beats faster. A Sasuke&Sakura story.
1. Chapter 1

Malignant

Chapter 1.

_By: RobinSparkelz_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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_She waltzes in, all pale pink hair, wide green eyes and tangled lashes. "She's staying with us for the year Sasuke." His wife tells him, and he nods and stares and wonders why his heart beats faster. A Sasuke&amp;Sakura story._

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Somewhere along the line he fell out of love with Karin, he does not know why, she is still as beautiful as the day he met her, still as strong willed and vibrant, but her blood red locks splayed across their crisp pillows do not entice him as they once did, her smooth skin does not beckon him to caress it, her hazelnut eyes do not pull him in as they once used to, and it frustrates him because Sasuke wants to love his wife, wants to desire her and he simply..._**can't. **_And he _**hates **_himself for it.

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"My cousin" Karin tells him over breakfast, " ...is going to be studying at The University of Konoha."

He nods, he vaguely remembers her squealing over the phone to her cousin. The cousin she always seems to talk about. Her name he he hazily remembers is a type of flower. Karin, does not keep close to her family, except for Naruto but he is more like _**his **_family than hers. Sasuke has only seen her mother a handful of times, and her father once at their wedding seven years ago. She never mentions them, but he knows she sends her mother a cheque monthly and pays her brothers tuition, these are the things that made him fall in love with her, her subtle gentleness, her inability to be dependent, the way she never complains, yet still, he finds himself further from her every day.

"...Sakura can't afford the residence fees, apparently her scholarship doesn't cover it, so I suggested she stay with us, she has a car so she can dr-"

"What?" If Sasuke was one for loud exclamations, his question would have come out loud and obnoxious, but he is not, so his question comes out one notch louder than his usual monotone, with a edge of steel, because Sasuke doesn't like surprises and Karin has just surprised him.

Karin looks down at her plate, her blueberry pancake barely eaten because of all her talking, then slowly, she looks back up at him " I didn't think you'd _**mind**_." Karin says.

...and to be honest Sasuke doesn't know if he _**minds**_, he doesn't like change, he likes order and routine, he likes coming home to a cooked meal and a clean house, but having someone else live here, _**with **_them, brings about unknown variables and he _**hates **_the unknown more than surprises, he does not have huge outbursts of emotion over things that occur beacuse he usually knows what to expect, but at this moment right know he _**just **_doesn't know how to _**fucking feel**_ about a stranger waltzing through his home, sitting at his table, using his things, maybe at another time he wouldn't have minded, but with his and Karin's relationship being what it was right now, he didn't think it really wise to have someone else living with them, unconsciously his grip on his fork tightened at the thought of this girl, _**Sakura, **_who had gone and disrupted his whole day, without even being present. He won't admit to himself that he is scared, scared she'll see right through him and see he doesn't love Karin anymore, scared she'll tell her, scared he'd lose her, because he may not love Karin anymore, but he _**needs **_her.

He does not tell her how he feels, he does not tell her no directly, instead he asks, "Have you already told her yes?"

Her silence is all the answer he needs, and Sasuke may not want her there, but he is not cruel and it is too late anyway. So he nods, wipes his mouth with his napkin, and gently reaches over to grip his wife's hand, her startled expression is proof of how long he has being cold and un-intimate with her, guilt washes over him, and his jaw clenches in an effort to keep his expression blank. "When will she be arriving?" His tone is at complete odds with the irrational annoyance he feels towards this girl for ruining his boring albeit content existence. "Tomorrow" Karin answers and her tone is hushed but still he catches the tell tale hints of happiness in it and somehow he doesn't feel as if her happiness is directed to him and his act of affection. This cousin of Karin's, and her impending arrival has livened her, her eyes glow with warmth he hasn't seen in a very long time, and slowly annoyance toward the girl gives way, ever so slightly, to curiosity and he wonders what's so special about her.

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_**Note:**__ Its super funny, how I have a coming soon story list on my bio page, but I can't seem to get those written instead, I'm writing half formed ideas down and posting it! Anyways please review, and tell me if you like where its going :) and check out my other stories! _


	2. Chapter 2

Malignant

Chapter 2

_**By: RobinSparkelz**_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

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Ironically she arrives on the first day of spring, September the first. The girl with the name of a flower. "Her semester only starts next week." Karin informed him last night as they got ready for bed, "...but I'm glad she's coming earlier so we can spend some time together, she's enrolled in Med school you know-"

"Sasuke are you listening to me?"

His hands had froze, fingers gripping the white sheets -as he had made to move them- at the mention of Med school, at the mention of his long lost dream, buried in the dustiest and deepest alcoves of his mind, a dream he had forgotten until now.

He had looked up, his swirling ash orbs noting Karins worried expression, "Aa" he had managed to sigh, before climbing into bed. He had tried then, once again to convince himself that somewhere the flame in him that had once burned for Karin could be re-ignited, but his arm didn't fit around her waist like it used to and he felt as if he was suffocating when he buried his nose in her hair, but still he didn't let go not once, because Sasuke was nothing if not of persistent.

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Karins cousin was obviously not very time conscious, something that in the future he would grudgingly come to find endearing. "She was supposed to be here two hours ago." Karin huffed in annoyance, as she tapped her foot impatiently on the porch, at her words he was reminded of another thing that had attracted him to Karin all those years ago in high school, her punctuality, she was timeous to an extreme, and Sasuke himself was a very rigid man when it came to keeping with schedules, her cousin was very obviously not, she was supposed be here for dinner,_** two hours ago**_.

He was about to suggest they go back inside and eat because _**he **_was _**starving **_when a pair of headlights swept over them, temporarily blinding him, the rumble of an engine and tires crunching against gravel filled his ears, before the engine cut. As his vision cleared he heard the click of a car door opening, just as Karin ran down the porch steps, she was still dressed in her pencil skirt and blouse from work, her shoes however were replaced by fluffy pink slippers, which slapped against the wooden steps of the porch as she excitedly ran to meet her cousin, he followed at a much more moderate pace.

As he walked towards the car he noted, that Karins cousin was a much smaller person than she was, she was a whole head shorter and seemed from the little of her he could see, much slighter. Karin released her from their hug, only to clutch her arms tightly as both of them started squealing and jumping around in excitement. They talked over each other."-orry I'm late-" "Its okay, so excited to see y-" "Me to, thanks so mu-!" "Don't mention it, we have to go out tomorrow!"

In all there crazy harpy antics they failed to acknowledge Sasuke, who by now was _**very**_ annoyed, and _**very**_ hungry. "Karin" he said shortly, his voice laced with slight irritation, at the sound of his voice, she swirled abruptly, letting go of her cousin, "Oh, Sasuke-kun, I'm sorry." Her eyes glittered with mirth and happiness, and he felt his chest tighten slightly at her expression, guilt wrapping around him like a shroud.

"This" she said gesturing to the women beside her is "Sakura" later he'd describe what happened to him when he first looked at her, as his mind going absolutely **blank, **everything around him seemed to have disappeared, he felt as if he was drowning and looking at her, was the only way he could breathe, she was like a sharp inhalation of crisp, clean air, like a gust of life, she had the largest green eyes, not the washed out, it looks greenish at a angle, but dark emeralds that were framed by long lashes, in the glow of the porch light her skin looked like a pale gold canvas, a background for full, red stained lips but it was her hair a halo of pale pink hair that cascaded down her shoulder that made him want to reach out and touch it, he wondered if it would be as soft as he imagined, _**later**_ he would find out that her hair felt like silk against his hand, _**later **_he would fist his hands into her pale pink locks and cover her mouth with his...but now he hears his wife telling him,"She's staying with us for the year Sasuke." and he nods and stares and wonders why his heart beats faster.

_**... only later would he realize, that he'd just met the love of his life and she'd come at the worst time possible.**_

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_**Note: **__I put the summary into this chapter, slightly out of context but whatevs. The next chapter will be the last chapter of Sasuke's Point Of View. I plan on writing 12 chapters chronicling Sakura's year with them. I will throw in a little bit of Karin, and some Naruto as well. I don't particularly like Karin, but I've read her in a positive light is some fics and I liked that. I suck at Sasuke POV, so I'm practicing in this story, tell me how you think I'm doing with that. Review and check out my other stories. _


	3. Chapter 3

Malignant

Chapter 3

By: _**RobinSparkelz**_

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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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Dinner is strange, it's not awkward, but it's not comfortable either. Karin has gone all out with the food, grilled chicken with a creamy source poured over it, green beans with melted butter, creamy spinach and sweetened butternut, a crunchy tomato and noodle salad and malva pudding for desert. Sakura and Karin talk about unimportant things, her drive here, the weather, new clothes, they obsess over some T.V shows he has never heard of for a bit and then move onto other mundane topics.

Sasuke notes, that Karin never once asks about her aunt, and Sakura never mentions her mother, he'll be lying if he says he wasn't curious about his in-laws, but Sasuke is a naturally private person, so he understands Karin and her cousins need to keep private, but tonight for the first time he feels like an outsider amongst these two, and it bothers him that his wife has never fully disclosed her family life, but what bothers him more is the fact that it took the presence of this girl, a member of his wife's family he has never met before, to feel bothered that he never cared enough to find out in their seven years of marriage, about her family, and that tells Sasuke _**more**_ about his feelings to his wife then he likes.

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Karin and her cousin, clear the table while he goes outside to offload her car, it's a beat up burnt orange mini-cooper, and when he opens the door to pull out the boxes he notes the cracked leather of the seats and the stuffing peeping through the a large gash on the side of the headrest, but despite the careworn look of the car, it still has that addicting leathery smell, that he breathes in like a drug.

The second landing to their home opens up into a lounge area, if you turn to your right you'd come to two bedrooms, which were used for guests, not that they had many except for Naruto, but Sasuke had seen less of the blonde ever since he had finally asked Hinata out, he would _**die **_before he'd admit that he missed his best friend, but Naruto was his family and he'd always valued his family, even though lately they'd been the last thing on his mind. He thought of his mother and father, who had moved out of Konoha to a beautiful estate on the outskirts of the city and how he had only seen their new house twice in the past four years. Itachi would have scolded him if he knew he hadn't called his mother in months, if he knew that the reason why Sasuke was so distracted was because he had fallen out of love with his wife, _**or maybe, maybe**_ he had never really been in love with her, with Karin his high school sweetheart, maybe he had just been looking for something to fill the void Itachi had left behind.

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When he enters the guestroom for the last time with last of Karin's cousins luggage, he finds that both women had moved from downstairs to the bedroom, his wife is sprawled across the foot of the bed, and her cousin is leaning against the wall, multiple pillows propped up behind her. They laughing at something Karin is reading from a feminine looking magazine, and both stop abruptly when he deposits the last suitcase down onto the carpeted floor, when he looks up he can see they both blushing, a combination of embarrassment, humor and mischief playing on their faces, it's not hard to imagine what they reading and he suppresses a smirk at the reactions, "Is that the last of it?" Karin asks. "Hn." He says, turning around to leave the room, he's just by the door, when a voice he is not yet familiar with chimes out a, "..thank you." He turns around locking his eyes onto her brilliant green before nodding, he does not notice the heat that creeps up the back of his neck at the sight of her smile.

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That night he climbs into bed alone, and he feels guilty at the feeling of relief swimming through him, because of his wife's lack of presence, he sighs as he sinks deeper into the sheets, wishing they would swallow him whole, so he wouldn't have to deal with the mess that's swirling around his mind. From his bedroom he hears a high pitched giggle, followed by the voices of the two women in his home, and for the first time Sasuke is lulled to sleep, by snorting laughter, and chatter of feminine voices and his house feels a little more like a home with a little more life and no one knows that all Sasuke ever wanted was a home filled with warmth and laughter, and finally maybe his getting it, he didn't realize that home wasn't always about having a lot of people around you, sometimes it was just about having one.

…and he'd finally found her, he just didn't know it yet.

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**Note:** _I love writing this because its short and easy, the last chapter with the whole she's the love of my life thing is Sasuke thinking about her from the future when the obviously together, he doesn't have any feelings for her now, they just met so don't forget that. I'm thinking of sticking to Sasuke POV for this entire story what do you guys think, I have a poll on which story I should update first, so please go vote its on my profile page and review please and check out my other stories, I finally updated The Mob._


	4. Chapter 4

Malignant

Chapter 4

_By: RobinSparkelz_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

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_**-September-**_

When Sasuke wakes up, the first thing he sees is red, he blinks blearily his body still in the grip of sleep as he tries to comprehend what he is seeing. It is strange he thinks that he is so disorientated, he never usually sleeps deeply. He identifies the mass of red as Karin's head which is resting on his bare chest, her arm languidly draped across him. The first thought that crosses his mind is if they had sex, after all these months had they finally? He quickly answers his internal question with a swift no, as he remembers that Karin, had come to bed later, because she was busy talking to her cousin. _Her cousin._ He feels extremely strange as he imagines another person in his house, and not just another person, another women. Somehow that seems important.

After he extracts himself from Karin, he takes a shower, and dresses, casually because its Saturday, even though he plans on heading to the office.

When he enters the room again, Karin is awake, lying vertically across the bed. " You going in today?" She asks, as she props herself up.

"Hn" he answers, as he sits on the edge of the bed, bending down to lace his boots.

"You look really casual." At first glance, her words are meaningless, but Karin's voice is small as she says it, and he can't help but frown at the implications, of her statement.

" Let's meet for lunch." He says, instead of addressing, her statement.

"Sakura and I were planning on going out."

"We can still meet for lunch."

There is a pause before she says, "Alright, half past one?"

He turns around to face her, and nods. "Ichiraku?"

She smiles at that. "Ichiraku." She repeats.

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The office is milling with people when he gets there, and he nods at his colleagues as he makes his way to his office. His secretary is there, even though she has no reason to be there on a Saturday. But it's not hard to come up with the reason, of why she is. "Uchiha-san" she greets, her voice low in a attempt to be sultry, he barely glances at her, as he heads into his office.

Karin's suspicion of him, irks him, he has never once been even tempted to be unfaithful to his wife. Even now, as he questions his love for her, he would never hurt her that way, because she had been there, when he needed her _she _had been there.

Slowly as he immersed himself in work, thoughts of Karin settled to the back of his mind. And he felt the tension ease from his shoulders as he reviewed his case, and got lost in the legal jargon.

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Ichiraku, was a ramen stall, that had spanned into a fully fledged diner, as its popularity grew, it was situated in Konoha Square, right across the central fountain, that dominated the marble tiled inner court, he sat on a worn wooden bench under one of the numerous oaks, and admired the old, yet timeless facade that dominated the square, the intricately carved arches and stone cornices. He tipped his head back, the tinkling of the fountain, lulling him contentedly. Until he heard Karin's voice calling for him, "Sasuke!"

He sat forward, in the bench, his gaze searching for her, she was making her way to him, a bright smile on her face, dressed in a snow white sun dress, and a equally white hat, her hair a beacon of color against the white, but it was what he saw next to her, or rather _who_, that set his heart beating faster, Sakura was a vision of color compared to Karin, her petal pink locks were curled and piled up in a messy bun, atop her head, long multicolored feathery earrings hang from her ears and brushed her neck, she had a floral printed short jumpsuit on, exposing the lightly tanned skin of her thighs and shapely legs, his eyes treacherously roamed her body, stopping at her bright red wedge sandals, and pearl painted toes.

"Have you been waiting long?" Karin asked as they reached him.

"No." He answered in monotone, trying to abate the flush that had crept up his neck, he had no reason to be feeling this way, so he brushed the multitude of confusing emotions away, leaning over to peck Karin on her cheek, and remove the bags she was laden with from her hands.

He hardly paid attention to Karin's chatter as they walked over to Ichiraku, and certainly didn't realize that he was unconsciously, admiring the curve of Sakura's behind, as she walked ahead of them.

Except for a brief smile on her part and his nod in return, they had barely acknowledged one another.

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Sakura, knew Karin's husband was good looking, she had seen the wedding pictures, even though she hadn't attended the wedding -the relationship between her mother and Karin's, had been worse than just strained like it was now - but by the lord, pictures did not do the fine male specimen sitting across her justice.

Yes, he was Karin's husband, and of course she would never think of him in that way, but a women could look, and a women could appreciate.

She had literally blushed red, when she saw him from across the square, casually lounging in a bench, but he looked even better when he stood up, he was wearing jeans, untidily tucked into boots, and a denim shirt, that was sexily rolled up to his elbows revealing strong forearms, and _his hair_, mussed and falling into his eyes. She flushed all over again, as she pretended to pursue her menu.

They were seated in a booth, Sasuke and Karin across from her, the owner had greeted Sasuke by name, and seated them in a corner booth next to a window overlooking the fountain in the square.

She glanced furtively, over her menu, curious to see how Karin and he interacted. She was well aware of the strain, their marriage was in, Karin having confided in her, it had made her apprehensive to accept Karin's offer of staying with them but Karin truly believed that another presence in the house would help them, how she wasn't exactly sure, but she would do it for her, for Karin, someone extremely important to her.

Outwardly she mused they seemed fine, he was obviously extremely introverted, and Karin's more outgoing demeanor should have balanced them out, but somehow it didn't - it was strange but there was just something off to her, it was like her cousin was trying way to hard and he was completely oblivious to her. They didn't act married, they barely acted together, and Sakura was beginning to feel like moving in with them was one of her worst ideas yet.

The quiet at their table was unnerving her, and she glanced up, deciding to flag down the waiter, before she died of discomfort, only to find Sasuke staring at her.

Only she didn't think he realized he was.

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**Note:** _Hi, so I decided to add Sakura at the end, because for the story to progress, we need her, because she is more emotionally apt than Sasuke. _

_Sasuke's description of Sakura is unconscious, he is attracted to her, but he doesn't really realize it, or want to acknowledge it. So I think I'm doing two chapters per month - so there'll be another September one. _

_We getting to real SasuSaku action, but it won't be quick. Sakura was ogling him, yes, but nothing more, she was just appreciating Sasuke's looks. _

_I love your feedback and when you guys comment on by note at the end, makes me feel special, that you guys care enough to read it. So Review Review Review. I adore your feedback. _


	5. Chapter 5

**Malignant**

**Chapter 5**

_**By:RobinSparkelz**_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

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_**-September-**_

"Teme!" it is the loud obnoxious voice of Uzumaki Naruto that snaps him out of his stupor and he drags his gaze away from Karin's cousins neck, where a tendril of pale pink hair has enticingly spilled out of her bun. For a second he meets her startled gaze, and he feels like he is drowning, spiraling out of control, and he has no fucking idea of why, and he hates himself for feeling so helpless. But then the second passes, and he is staring into the blue eyes of his best friend, who has come barreling towards their table and he decides that he has done something to be punished, because of course the one day he decides to come to mother fucking Ichiraku without being dragged there by the blonde, the idiot has to show up and catch him in the act.

"I thought it was you." Naruto exclaims exuberantly, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"I knew you secretly liked Ichiraku as much as I do teme." Naruto excitedly accuses.

Sasuke's head is already starting to throb, and before he can make his usual scathing retort, Naruto has turned his attention to Karin.

"Hello, cousin." Naruto says almost coldly.

Sasuke can't help but feel incredibly trapped as Naruto surveys Karin, who despite being his cousin, he has never really liked. At first he thought they just clashed because of their personalities and for a while after they started dating Naruto had seem to really warm up to her, but then it all changed, he doesn't know what really happened it was like a switch had been flipped especially after they got married. Naruto's coldness returned and Karin avoided him like the plague and Sasuke if he is totally honest with himself, did not care enough to find out why, especially considering his emotional and mental state at time he and Karin got married. Which was just another questionable choice he had made after the incident. Wishing he could be anywhere but there. He watched as Karin paled visibly when she greeted Naruto, _**so**_ visibly, that he actually felt the need to take her hand, which was clutched tightly in a fist on her thigh, but before he could his blonde best friend exuberantly exclaimed in delight.

"Sakura-chan!"

And that had him diverting his attention from his wife to the pinkette who was smiling warmly at his friend and sliding out of the booth to give him a hug.

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Karin has never liked Naruto very much, he was always to wild, to obnoxious, and to damn perceptive. He was also the only person who knew the one thing that could ruin everything, so when his penetrating gaze moved off her and to Sakura she could only sag in relief against the cracked plastic of the booth, and pray that Sasuke hadn't noticed that the usual coolness Naruto displayed was not just cool but downright icy.

She knew why of course. She had received numerous texts from _**him**_, and had chosen to ignore each and every one. It was all too far gone for her to come clean, she was in too deep, seven _**years**_ in too deep, and everything that she and Sasuke had built would crumble like a building with no foundation the moment he found out.

They were hanging by a thread as it was, a marriage built on lies and need, pain and grief, but not love, maybe once love, but not now, especially not now.

"Karin?" A voice said.

"Hmm." She turned her head to the sound of the voice, it was Sakura sitting diagonally across her.

"What do you want to eat?" She asked. Her voice soft, her brow furrowed in worry.

"Uh, Miso ramen." She said, turning away from Sakura's worried face, to the face the blonde haired waitress.

"And to drink Miss?"

"A diet coke, thanks." She said, handing her menu over to the waitress.

"You okay Karin?" Sakura asked in concern.

"Yeah." She said.

"I just kinda zoned out, probably the heat."

To emphasize her point she pulled off her hat folding the lacy white fedora in half, making a makeshift fan, and fanning herself with it.

"You sure it's just the heat Karin-chan?" Naruto asked, looking at her over his glass of water, his blue eyes icy, and accusing.

The knot in her stomach tightened, and the air seemed stuck in her wind pipe, a wave of nausea washed over her, her heart thudding so fast, she felt like she was vibrating.

She didn't know she had actually began to shake as panic clawed its way up her body, until she felt it, the gentlest touch of another hand. Sasuke's hand over her clenched fist.

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They needed to talk, they couldn't keep doing this silent dance, flitting around each other, like petals in the wind, swirling, _swirling, __**swirling**_in a never-ending waltz.

He kept his hand over Karin's throughout lunch, and threaded his fingers through hers after they left Ichiraku. They wandered through the square, Naruto and Sakura keeping up a steady stream of conversation as they flitted from one store to the other. Sakura he noticed had a sweet tooth, she bought pistachio ice cream from a ice cream vendor, and then homemade fudge from a quaint little store that resembled a beach shack.

Each time she stopped to buy something she would ask, "Do you guys want something?"

Naruto said yes to ice-cream. Karin said yes to some homemade fudge. Sasuke said no to both, but still couldn't help but feel unsettled every time she turned those brilliant green eyes on him, and asked.

Somewhere along their perusal of the square, Naruto and Sasuke landed up together in the health store, "Ooh, teme look." Naruto exclaimed, brandishing a bottle of mossy colored liquid.

" It says here, it helps with indigestion and constipation."

"Tch dobe, you'd know, you're probably constipated all the time with all the ramen you ingest."

"Whatever teme, you probably know too, given the stick shoved up your arse."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at Naruto, feeling his entire body ease as nostalgia washed over him. Naruto always made him feel calm, strange because he was such a loud and obnoxious person generally, but despite his personality and both their competitive natures, Naruto was familiar. Naruto was home.

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Sasuke's life carries on like usual. He had made a vow that day in the square to talk to Karin about their crumbling marriage, but she seemed to have pulled away more than ever. He is sure that there is something she is hiding from him. Over the years he has realized that maybe Karin hasn't always been one hundred percent honest with him, but neither has he and while Sasuke likes to be aware of all the variables in his life he has learned that some secrets are better kept secret.

Dinner is mostly awkward every night, especially because Karin doesn't even try to initiate conversation. Sakura's attempts to coax Karin into talking fall flat and she gives up after several tries.

Sasuke has become used to Sakura's presence in the house, she is not an intrusive person and keeps mostly to herself. He wonders why she is mostly at home every night. He knows med school is demanding but surely she must have friends that she would rather spend the night with, rather than him and Karin. Sasuke is curious sure, but he is not intrusive so he doesn't ask her.

He works late on Friday night, so when he comes home the house is mostly dark except for the glow of the front porch light. He makes his way up the stairs stopping at the second landing when he hears the murmur of the television, Sakura is sitting on the couch with a bag of potato chips and a huge glass of coke. She doesn't notice him until he clears his throat, which causes her to look up.

"Hi." She says, grinning at him.

"Karin said she left some food for you in the oven."

"Thanks." He said.

"No problem, she said she wouldn't be long."

"She's not here." He said, surprised.

"Um..yeah. I thought she probably told you…?"

"No." he said. "She didn't."

Sasuke waits up for Karin until she comes home and she only comes home at three in the morning. He is angry. She didn't tell him where she was, she didn't answer his numerous calls and the worry and powerlessness over the fact that he had no idea where she was and couldn't do anything about it only fuels his anger, but when she comes in dressed in jeans and a old stretched out navy jersey her eyes puffy and nose red, his anger dissipates and he strides across the room gathers her in his arms and holds her. It doesn't matter that they have been mostly estranged or that he wants to demand to know where she was and what happened to make her cry, it doesn't matter because Karin is his wife and he will always protect her.

After a while Karin relaxes in his hold and he guides her towards their bed and gently lays her down but when he pulls away with the intention of getting her a glass of water, she twines her arms around his neck and pulls him down. He braces his arms on the bed, on either side of her body so he doesn't crush her under his weight, he can feel her breath against his lips see the puffiness of her hazelnut eyes and redness in her cheeks. Karin is beautiful and being so close to her after so long feels new and exciting but he hasn't forgotten that she's been missing for most of the night and he begins to pull away.

"Sasuke. Don't, please." She murmurs, new tears welling in her eyes.

He paused in his ascent.

"Karin you need to tell me where you were." He says softly.

"You need to tell me who hurt you."

"I… I can't"

"Karin." He says forcefully. "Tell me."

"I…Sasuke please. Don't make me."

"Dammit Karin." He said through clenched teeth, still hovering over her.

"I promise I'll tell you. Just not tonight."

He sighed, Karin could be so stubborn but he would not go to bed without knowing the truth.

"Sasuke?" she questioned, when he was silent for a beat too long.

"I need to know." he said resolutely, pushing himself up from the bed, but Karin surprises him by tightening her arms around his neck and locking her legs around his waist causing their bodies to press together intimately.

"Sasuke." She says again, but this time her voice is lower.

He meets her hazelnut gaze slowly, watches as her lips parted and her eyes darken.

"Let's forget, please just for tonight." Her words are steady but the desperation in them bleed through causing his will to waver and when she leans in, just lightly caressing her lips over his, his will crumbles.

It has been far too long Sasuke thinks, as he glides his hands over his wife's naked body and peppers kisses down her throat. Far too long, since he has been buried in her warm, wet heat. His thrusts gradually change from steady to fast until he is pounding into her with reckless abandon, marring her skin with bruises and love bites. The lines between lust and love have always been blurred with Karin, but that night only one emotion rules and it is not the latter.

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The next morning is odd, he supposes it is because they haven't woken up tangled in sheets their naked bodies pressed together in a very long time. Karin's eyes are still puffy from last night's crying jag and it is a stark reminder that they have a lot to talk about. If their relationship has any chance of surviving they need to come clean with each other, he needs to tell her the entire story about what happened seven years ago, where he was for four months and she needs to tell him where she was last night, but for now, just for these few seconds just before reality completely sets in, he basks in the warmth of her body against his and the silence all around the house and everything is fine.

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The house is completely still and Sakura flinches as she drops the spoon she was using to stir her coffee on the floor, it clatters loudly against the floor before she stoops down and grabs it. After last night she knows that sound travels really well in this house and she flushes as she remembers the moans and grunts and the other uh… banging sounds she heard last night.

When she heard Karin come home, she had expected screaming or an argument since it was obvious that Sasuke hadn't known Karin was gone out, and he had seem extremely agitated pacing up and down, calling her phone, kicking the couch and doing other agro male stuff until he had finally receded into his bedroom. She definitely hadn't expected them to have sex, but hey she didn't understand their relationship at all anyways.

Opening the front door she stepped out onto the porch cradling her cup of coffee in her hand, she had just made herself comfortable on one of the porch steps when a car came trundling up the driveway, a very familiar beat up old truck that roared like a dragon with a sore throat.

No way she thought even as she got up from the porch, leaving her coffee on the step and started sprinting down the gravel driveway.

"Kiba!" she shrieked.

"Oh my god." She murmured as he got out of the car, all rough handsomeness and faded jeans.

She didn't waste a second launching herself into his waiting arms, letting out a contented sigh as his strong arms wrapped around her body and she inhaled his heady masculine scent.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him. Not letting go of Kiba, she leaned away slightly so she could look into his eyes, warm, honey brown eyes, he gave her a crooked grin.

"What, I need an excuse to come see my girl."

She grinned back at him, "No, you absolutely do not." She replied.

"So what are you doing outside on the porch, your cousin kicked you out already?"

"Haha, no she didn't."

Leading him to the house she filled him in on the details of what happened last night, flushing slightly as she recounted what she heard.

"Always so virginal Sakura." Kiba teased, as he noticed her blush.

"You would be blushing to if you heard it." She retorted, leading him into the kitchen.

"Heard what?"

They both turned at the sound of the voice. Sasuke and Karin were sitting at the kitchen island, she would assume that after spending a passionate night together they would both be looking glowy and happy but instead both of them look as if someone has died. Karin is hunched over a cup of coffee, she looks pale, a bit grey and her hair is an absolute mess of tangles and knots and not in the sexy way. Sasuke looks agitated and tense his shoulders bunched. He leans his elbows on the counter, his head tilted to one side facing her and Kiba who stand in the kitchen doorway.

"Uh… nothing?" she chokes out.

There is a second of awkward silence and then Karin asks.

"Who's your friend Sakura?"

"Oh, this is Kiba. My boyfriend."

Karin pulls her robe tighter around her as she gets up from the kitchen stool so she can greet him.

"Hi Kiba. I'm Karin, Sakura's cousin."

"Nice to meet you." Kiba replies, he nervously rubs his hand on the side of his jeans and casts Sasuke a glance.

"Uh… I hope you guys don't mind that Kiba's here, he surprised me."

"Of course not." Karin said.

"You very welcome here Kiba. Your're an Inuzuka right?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

Karin's answer is cut off when Sasuke interrupts. "An Inuzuka?" his voice is slightly strained.

"Uh yeah."

"You know a Hana Inuzuka?" he asked.

"Yeah, she's my sister."

Shock plays across his face for a split second before he composes himself.

"You know her?" Kiba questions, his face confused.

" No. No, I don't."

"Then how…?"

"My brother knew her."

"Itachi knew her."

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**Note:** What up guys? So firstly like I said previously I plan on doing two chapters per month, last chapter was short and I didn't realize that it only spanned a day, that's why this chapter is much longer and spans about three weeks.

Just so you guys aren't to confused.

Sakura arrived on the Friday , they go to the square the next day on Saturday.

Sakura settling in for about a week and Karin pulling away spans roughly two weeks.

Sasuke arrives home late the next Friday and Karin isn't there. Kiba arrives the next day a Saturday at the end of week three.

I hope that sort of makes sense, sorry if it doesn't.

The following chapters will be better planned obviously. Each chapter will span 2 weeks each and cover the month better I got all of the kinks worked out and the story line is progressing.

Please no flames, I received some horrible ones for my anthology series and I can't believe some people can be so bitchy like wow. So if you don't like my story don't review.

Also can someone explain to me SasuSaku smut month, it's in November right? Is there a prompt list can anyone take part? Let me know, please.


	6. Chapter 6

Malignant

Chapter 6

_**By: RobinSparkelz.**_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

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**-October-**

Sakura has only been here a month and already she wishes she could leave, the atmosphere in the house is stifling, dinner has stopped completely and Karin is barely home. She doesn't know what transpired between her cousin and her husband, Karin refuses to speak to her and Sasuke is a brooding cloud of anger.

University is gruelling, classes start at eight and end at five and unlike other students who live in apartments on campus, Sakura doesn't have the luxury of taking a nap or fixing a quick meal in her breaks. The cafeteria and library become her local haunts and soon enough her social group begins expanding beyond just her med class, that is how she comes to hear about the apartment.

"Shikamaru, is looking for a roommate." Ino states over coffee one day. Ino is studying medicine with her. Sakura firmly believes she wakes up before the sun rises to get ready every day, because one month into med school, and she is the only one who still looks like she combs her hair every day.

"Thinking of moving." Sakura says suggestively to her friend as she splits the humongous slice of cheese cake they ordered down the middle.

Ino splutters incoherently over her coffee, her face scandalized.

"No, forehead." She corrects testily, using Sakura's newly minted nickname, "I was thinking _you_ could move in with Shika."

"Ino, you know I can't afford it." Sakura sighs

"I know, but his roommate is only moving out in three months, that gives you three months to collect the money."

"And how do you propose I collect this money?"

"A job forehead, sheesh sometimes I wonder how you got into med school."

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Sasuke never wanted to be a lawyer. He's good at it, sure, but practicing law has always been mechanical, with no passion behind it. He is acutely reminded of his distaste for his career when he comes home that evening. The garage door is open and sitting amongst a pile of boxes is Sakura.

Her pink head turns towards the sound of his car pulling into the driveway and he doesn't believe he imagined the look of panic in her eyes, it is already ten in the evening and he wonders what in the hell she is doing.

When he steps into the garage the first thing he notices are her wide green eyes, "I can explain" She says sheepishly to him.

"See I had some boxes delivered today-" she begins to ramble.

Sasuke tunes her out, frowning, unable to understand why she thinks he'd be angry at her for sorting through her own boxes, when he catches a glimpse of what is in her hands. An anatomy textbook, a very familiar looking one, _his_ one.

He feels cold. All around her are his old textbooks and files, sketches of the body that he had meticulously hand drawn and labelled.

"…I was just looking for space for my stuff and I pulled this box out and then everything fell out, I'm so sorry Sasuke, I didn't mean to pry but your essays and these sketches, they amazing."

He looks at her for a beat, at the awe in her eyes, then at the remnants of his past dream scattered all around, and he wishes so badly he could go back and re-do it all. A slip of paper catches his eye and he bends down and tugs it out of one of the heavy texts. It is a picture of him, Naruto and Karin. _Karin. _

His wife who he is not home, who hasn't told him where she went and what upset her, his wife who he married in grief and anger. His wife who he doesn't love anymore. He lets go of the picture, watches it flutter to the floor with the rest of his dreams. Turns around and leaves.

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"I told you not to contact me again." She hisses into the phone.

The voice that answers is saccharine sweet and condescending, but there is an undertone of panic hidden in the usual sarcasm, that reminds her of the severity of the situation. "Just making sure you don't bail on your end of the deal."

Karin flinches at his sentence, anger rising within her, she snaps, "I'm not a monster Suigetsu, I said I'll be there."

She ends the call violently, throwing her phone roughly onto the passenger seat. She swipes at her eyes angrily trying to stem the tears that have begun to form.

I'm not a monster she chants to herself, as she drives home.

I'm not a monster she repeats

I'm not a monster.

But then what is she?

What do you call a mother who abandons her child, like she did?

_Monster._

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Note: Hello all, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next chapter will heavily concentrate on revealing Sasuke and Karin's secrets.


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